What's in a drain? Breast cancer scare inspires business

A woman from Manchester has turned her breast cancer scare into a niche business. Charley Wood discovered she had the faulty BRCA gene after her mother and grandmother passed away from cancer.

At 26 she made the decision to have a double mastectomy to reduce her risk of getting the disease. It was when she was in recovery that Charley had an idea for the new venture, which is also benefiting charity.

Charley post op - with her drains. Credit: Charley Wood

Most patients having breast cancer need to have drains afterwards to prevent infection and drain off any fluid to prevent infections. Women need them for around two weeks and find it tough to leave the house as they can be unsightly. Charley has developed 'Drain Dollies,' special bags to hold the drains. Some of the money from sales goes to cancer prevention charity Genesis.

Charley with her 'Drain Dolly' Credit: Charley Wood

"Unfortunately hospitals don’t routinely supply drain bags to patients and therefore you have to carry these around yourself. I saw my sister and various other patients during my times in hospital use plastic bags, pillow cases, all sorts of things. This meant my sister didn’t leave the house for a few weeks which I think is paramount for a speedy recovery. So I decided I would make drain bags readily available to everyone who has this surgery donating a percentage of proceeds to the breast cancer prevention charity genesis.

Genesis is an amazing charity that focuses on the prediction and prevention of breast cancer and is based at Wythenshawe hospital where I had my op. If organisations such as Genesis didn’t carry out this important research I may not have been able to have my risk reducing surgery and would probably go on to get Breast Cancer."

– CHARLEY WOOD

Drain Dollies are proving a hit with the public too!

Find out more about Charley and her story here and there's more on the breast cancer breakthrough that could save thousands of lives here.